Gaging vane construction



Dec. 1969 s, K. SMITH ETAL 3,

GAGING'V'ANE CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F|G.l 43I3 45 4l A STANLEY K. SMITH .ATTQRNEY United States Patent 3,486,460GAGING VANE CONSTRUCTION Stanley K. Smith, Baltimore, and Lee W.Ramstrom,

Joppa, Md., assignors to The Black and Decker Manufacturing Company,Towson, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Sept. 25, 1968, Ser. No.762,488 Int. Cl. F04c 1 /00, 3/00; B23q 17/00 US. Cl. 103-436 10 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The device disclosed herein is a pneumatictool which includes a housing having a pneumatic motor disposed therein.An output spindle is coupled to the motor and the latter is powered bypressurized air admitted thereto through suitable conduit means andvalving. The motor includes a rotor and stationary cylinder and theformer has radially slidable vanes which engage the latter. The vanesare novelly constructed to provide a built-in gaging feature for each ofthe other vanes.

Summary of the invention The present invention is directed to a novelvane construction for use in rotary, fluid handling devices such aspumps, motors and the like. The vane has gage means integrated therewithfor readily determining whether other, like vanes are worn sufiicientlyto warrant replacement. This construction obviates the need for anyspecial gages Or even any special skill on the part of the one examiningthe vanes to determine whether or not vane replacement is needed.

Main objects of the present invention, therefore, are to provide a novelvane construction for use in rotary, fluid handling pumps, motors andthe like, which construction includes gaging means integrated therewithfor determining whether other ones of the vanes have Worn suflicientlyto warrant replacement, and which construction may readily be providedin a number of installations with no significant cost factor, and whichhas no significant effect on vane performance.

Further important objects of the invention are to provide a novel vaneconstruction of the above character which obviates the need for specialvane gages and which requires no special skill to use.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from aconsideration of the detailed description to follow taken together withthe drawings annexed hereto.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a view, partly broken awayand partly in section, illustrating a pneumatic tool embodying apreferred form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the novel vane of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the technique of vanegaging employed with this embodiment and showing a gaged vane which hasnot worn sufiiciently to warrant replacement;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, but showing a gaged vane whichneeds replacement;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a modified vane constructionand the technique of vane gaging employed therewith;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another modified vane construction;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the technique of vane gagingemployed with the vane of FIG. 7;

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FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating another modified form of vaneconstruction;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the technique of vane gagingemployed with the vane of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating still another modified formof vane construction;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view illustrating the technique of vane gagingemployed with the view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating yet another modified form ofvane embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the technique of vane gagingemployed with the vane of FIG. 13.

Broad statement of the invention Broadly described, the presentinvention relates to a rotor vane adapted for use in a fluid handlingpump, mo-. tor and the like which includes a stationary cylinder havingend plate means at opposite ends thereof and a rotor journaled forrotation between said end plate means and eccentrically within saidcylinder, said vane being slidably disposed in a radial slot in saidrotor and comprising an elongated, generally flat body having an outerlongitudie nal edge adapted to slide around the inner surface of saidcylinder during rotor rotation and held in engagement therewith bycentrifugal force, a pair of generally parallel transverse edges one ateither end of said outer longitudinal edge and disposed in face-to-facerelation with said end plate means, and an inner edge, recess means insaid vane having a longitudinal dimension substantially equal to theminimum acceptable dimension of said vane measured along a predeterminedtransverse portion thereof, whereby the transverse dimension of saidvane may be gaged by placing said vane transversely in said recess meansof another, like vane.

Detailed description Referring now more specifically to the drawings, aportable, pneumatic tool embodying the present invention is illustratedgenerally at 11 in FIG. 1. It should be understood, however, that thisinstallation is exemplary only and that the vane of the presentinvention finds use in the general class of rotary, fluid handlingdevices which includes pumps and motors both portable or stationary.

With this in mind, the illustrated tool 11 is seen to include a mot-orhousing 13 having a pendent-type handle 15 integral therewith. Apneumatic motor 17 is disposed within the motor housing 13 and powers anoutput spindle 19 through an impact mechanism (not shown) disposedwithin an impact housing 21. The motor 17 is accessible by means of acover plate 23 secured to the motor housing 13 by bolts 25 which alsohold the impact housing 21 to the motor housing 13. Pressurized air issupplied to the motor 17 through a conduit 27 connected to the handle 15and is controlled by suitable valving (not shown) in response to pivotalmovement of a trigger 29 mounted on the handle 15.

The motor 17 is seen to include a cylinder 31 fixed within the motorhousing 13 and having a pair of end plates 33, 35, one at either endthereof. A rotor 37 i journaled for rotation between the end plates 33,35 and eccentrically within the cylinder 31. The rotor 37 has one ormore radial slots 39 which extend the final axial length thereof and ineach of which is disposed a rotor vane 41.

In use, pressurized air is admitted to the cylinder 31 preferablythrough inlet openings (not shown) therein and bears against one side ofthe vanes 41 causing the rotor 37 to turn. Air is exhausted from thecylinder 31 through discharge openings (not shown) in the usual manner.

It will be appreciated that during rotor rotation, cen- 3 trifugal forceacts radially on the vanes 41 and causes them to move partially out ofthe slots 39 and to slide around the inner surface of the cylinder 31.At the same time, air pressure tends to bend the vanes 41 in thedirection of rotor rotation during compression whereas frictional forcestend to bend the vanes 41 in the opposite direction during exhaust. As aresult, the vanes 41 flex back and forth in the slots 39.

As the vanes 41 wear, they are able to move further out of the slots 39until eventually they lose enough stability and the flexing actioncauses them to break along their length. Thereafter, the broken vaneparts can wedge between the rotor 37 and the cylinder 31 causing themotor to jam.

It is desirable then to have a gage so that one may readily determinewhether or not the vane or vanes need be replaced. To this end, each ofthe vanes 41 of the present invention is constructed so that it may beused to gage the transverse dimension of other like vanes and quicklyindicates whether the other vanes need be replaced Thus, as shown inFIGS. 13, each of the vanes 41 comprises an elongated, flat body havingan outer longitudinal edge 43, a pair of transverse edges 45, 47 and aninner longitudinal edge 49. The outer longitudinal edge 43 engages theinner wall of the cylinder 31 and is the edge which wears with use whilethe transverse edges 45, 47 confront the end plates 33, in face-to-facerelation as shown in FIG. 1. The longitudinal dimension of each vane 41,or the distance from edge 45 to edge 47, is slightly less than thedistance between end plates 33, 35 to provide a small amount ofclearance and prevent excessive frictional forces during rotor rotation.

As the longitudinal edge 43 of each vane 41 wears, the

transverse dimension of the vane 41 is reduced. In order to gage thetranverse dimension of each of the vanes 41, the inner longitudinal edge49 of each vane 41 has a re cess 51 formed therein intermediate theedges 45, 47 and having a dimension corresponding to the minimumacceptable transverse dimension for the vanes 41 measured at apredetermined point.

To perform the gaging sequence then, each vane 41 is placed transversein the recess 51 of another vane 41. As shown in FIG. 4, a vane 41 whichhas not worn sufficient to warrant replacement will not fit in therecess 51 while one which has so worn will fit as seen in FIG. 5. Formost accurate results, each vane 41 is gaged at each end thereof, i.e.,adjacent each transverse edge 45, 47, since if uneven wear has occurred,maximum Wear (and the minimum transverse vane dimension) will occur atone of these edges.

Thus, each of the vanes 41 may quickly and easily be gaged either byother ones of the vanes 41 in the particular installation such as theother vanes 41 in the motor 17, or by like replacement vanes 41. Nospecial or separate gage is necessary and no special skill is requiredof the person performing the gaging.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6. There, thevanes 41A are provided with a recess 51A along the inner longitudinaledge adjacent each of the transverse edges 45A, 47A. Two such recesses51A are provided so that the vane 41A is balanced. Each of the recesses51A is dimensioned equal to the minimum acceptable transverse dimensionof a smilarly shaped vane 41A measured long the edges 45A, 47A from edge43A to the adjacent recess 51A. Thus, these vanes 41A are easily gaged,as shown in FIG. 6, by placing them in one of the recesses 51A. If thegaged vane 41A overhangs the edge 47A, it need not be replaced. If nooverhang exists, then the gaged vane should be replaced.

Another modified form of the invention is seen in FIG. 7 and 8. There,the vanes 41B are substantially the same as the embodiment of FIG. 6except that the inner edge 49B of the vanes 41B is arcuate instead ofstraight. The vanes 41B are provided with recesses 51B, one adjacenteach side edge 45B, 473, respectively, and each of the recesses 51B havea longitudinal dimension substantially equal to the minimum acceptabletransverse dimension of each of the vanes 41B measured along the edges45B, 47B from edge 43B to the adjacent recess 51B.

The gaging sequence for this embodiment is shown in FIG. 8 and if, asshown, the gaged vane 41B overhangs the edge 47B, it need not bereplaced. If, on the other hand, there is no overhang, the vane 41Bshould be replaced.

Still another modified form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.Here, the vane 41C has a gaging recess 510 formed in one transverse facethereof from the edge 43C to the edge 49C. Since the edge 49C is arcuatein configuration, the recess 51C is dimensioned substantially equal tothe minimum acceptable transverse dimension of the vane 41C measuredsubstantially across the midpoint thereof.

The vanes 41C are gaged by placing them in one of the recesses 51C asshown in FIG. 10. If, as shown there, the gaged vane 41C does not fit inthe recess 51C, it need not be replaced. If the gaged vane 410 does fitin the recess 51C, replacement is warranted. Were the edge 49C straight,the recess 51C preferably would be dimensioned to gage the vane 41Cadjacent each transverse edge 45C, 47C.

Yet another modified form of the invention is illus trated in FIGS. 11and 12. There, the vanes 41D have a tapered gaging recess 51D formed inone transverse face thereof. However, unlike in the vanes 41C, therecess 51D does not extend to the outer vane edge 43D which rides aroundthe inner edge of the cylinder 43.

The gaging recess 51D is dimensioned to receive other ones of the vanes41D when the transverse dimension of the latter is reduced to a levelwhich warrants vane replacement. Thus, as shown in FIG. 12, the vanes41D are generally rectangular in configuration which facilitates gagingadjacent the transverse edges 45D, 47D. The gaged vane 41D is so gaged,as was done in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, and is replaced when itstransverse dimension, adjacent either edge 45D, 47D, is such that itfits wholly in the recess 51D.

Still another modified form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 13 and14. There, the vane gaging recess comprises an aperture 51E which isdimensioned to allow free passage of the vane 41E therethrough when thetransverse dimension thereof has fallen below the minimum acceptablelevel.

By the foregoing, there has been disclosed a novel vane for use inrotary, fluid handling devices, which vane is calculated to fulfill theinventive objects hereinabove set forth, and while a preferredembodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and describedin detail, various additions, substitutions, modifications and omissionsmay be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the inventionas encompassed by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotor vane adapted for use in a fluid handling pump, motor and thelike which includes a stationary cylinder having end plate means atopposite ends there of and a rotor journaled for rotation between saidend plate means and eccentrically within said cylinder, said vane beingslidably disposed in a radial slot in said rotor and comprising anelongated, generally fiat body having an outer longitudinal edge adaptedto slide around the inner surface of said cylinder during rotor rotationand held in engagement therewith by centrifugal force, a pair ofgenerally parallel transverse edges one at either end of said outerlongitudinal edge and disposed in faceto-face relation with said endplate means, and an inner edge, recess means in said vane having alongitudinal dimension substantially equal to the minimum acceptabledimension of said vane measured along a predetermined transverse portionthereof, whereby the transverse dimension of said vane may be gaged byplacing said vane transversely in said recess means of another, likevane.

2. A vane as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess means comprises arecess formed in said inner edge intermediate said transverse edges andadapted to gage the transverse dimension of said vane adjacent each ofits transverse edges.

3. A vane as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess means comprises arecess formed in said inner edge adjacent each of said transverse edgesand adapted to gage the transverse dimension of said vane adjacent eachof said transverse edges.

4. A vane as defined in claim 2 wherein said recess is dimensioned tofully receive said vane when so placed therein if said vane has atransverse dimension less than said minimum acceptable dimension.

5. A vane as defined in claim 3 wherein said recesses are dimensioned sothat when said vane is so placed in one of said recesses, none of saidgaged vane will overhang said one recess if said gaged vane has atransverse dimension less than said minimum acceptable dimension.

6. A vane as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess means includes arecess formed in a transverse face thereof.

7. A vane as defined in claim 6 wherein said recess extends from saidouter to said inner edge.

8. A vane as defined in claim 6 wherein said recess extends from saidinner edge and is spaced from said outer edge.

9. A vane as defined in claim 8 wherein said recess is tapered from saidtransverse face to said inner edge.

10. A vane as defined in claim 1 wherein said recess means comprises anaperture formed therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,473 11/1928 Smith 103-1361,833,026 11/1931 Langford 29401 3,252,212 5/1966 Bell 29407 3,354,53711/1967 OConnor 29401 3,417,664 12/1968 Brucker 91121 FOREIGN PATENTS729,901 5/ 1932 France.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

